在有拉链、钮扣或其他扣件之前,我们的祖先用大针把他们的衣服扎牢在一起。但是针也带来了一些问题。锐利的针尖很危险,并且针也容易滑落。 大概在4000年前的克里特岛上,有人制作了看起来像是去扣住衣服的大型安全别针这样的器件,从而找到了一个解决问题的十分出色的办法。这类青钢别针被弯过来。用扣子扣住一端而避免针尖造成危险。后来的别针还有一个弹簧 以使它们夹牢。 然而到19世纪时,人们已经遗忘了古代别针,直到1849年沃尔特·亨特发明了现代安全别针。亨特想出了许多发明物,通常它们都获得了专利。 由于专利中谓需包括图样,亨特常常欠他画家的债。他同意用自己以一段旧的金属丝所能做的不管什么东西的专利权,去了结画家的债务。亨特用它制作了安全别针,对这样一个有用的发明 一个名叫理查森的画家实际上只付给亨特400美元。亨特对此感到满意,尽管他还是廉价地出售了他的发明专利权。 Our ancestors used large needles to tie their garments together before they had zippers, buttons or other fasteners. But the needle also brought some problems. Sharp tip is dangerous, and the needle is easy to slip. About 4,000 years ago Crete, somebody made a device like a large safety pin that fastened his clothes and found a brilliant solution to the problem. These green steel pins are bent over. Use a button to hold the end of the needle to avoid the danger. The later pins also had a spring to keep them clamped. By the 19th century, however, people had forgotten the ancient pins until Walter Hunt invented modern safety pins in 1849. Hunt came up with a lot of inventions, usually they are all patented. Hunter often owes him the painter’s debt because of the patent’s need to include drawings. He agreed to end the painter’s debt with a patent of whatever he could do with an old wire. Hunter used it to make a safety pin, and an artist like Richardson actually paid only $ 400 to Hunter for such a useful invention. Hunter was satisfied, though he sold his invention patent cheaply.